Development of a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method for identification of the Fusarium genus using the transcription elongation factor-1α gene.

Fusarium species are well-known plant pathogens and food contaminants that have also appeared as one of the most important groups of medically significant fungi. The sequences of the translation elongation factor (TEF)-1α gene have been broadly employed for species detection. A total of 50 strains of Fusarium spp., including environmental, clinical and reference isolates were used for the current study. The primer sets, Fu3f and Fu3r, were used to amplify an ~420-bp DNA fragment of the TEF-1α gene. Double digestion with two restriction enzymes, XhoI and SduI was used for discrimination of the Fusarium species in the TEF-1α gene fragment. Double digestion of the TEF-1α gene fragment from five clinically important Fusarium species were clearly differentiated from each other: The F. solani species complex, F. oxysporum species complex, F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum and F. fujikuroi. This method facilitates detection and enables verification of the Fusarium genus; therefore, it may be applied for disease control.